The Montgomery High School gym was packed with an estimated crowd or 3,000 people Feb. 27 as the girls from Point Loma High battled their counterparts from Madison High for the CIF San Diego Section Div. III basketball crown.
Every basket was greeted with thunderous cheers from the crowd as the two teams put their hearts and souls into the effort. When Madison surged ahead the Pointers kept clawing back.
With the scoreboard clock ticking away the game’s final seconds, three free throws by scoring leader Sadie Heckman and two by her sister Emma erased a 45-40 Madison lead and tied the score at 45 as regulation play ended.
During the four-minute overtime, Madison appeared to be running away with the game, scoring the first six points, but once again, the Pointers weren’t ready to fold.
A free-throw by Cerina Nguyen followed by a three-point basket from Mikaela Miles and another Nguyen basket tied the score at 51.
Three Warhawk free throws put them up by three before two Sadie Heckman free throws brought the Pointers back within one.
A Madison free throw was to be their final point with just 17.2 seconds remaining to play. 
The Pointers rebounded a missed free throw, Sadie Heckman bringing it up court as the final seconds ran off the clock. She passed to Nicole Terry in the right corner who quickly returned the ball to Heckman who instantly passed to an open Miles on the left side. Miles didn’t hesitate and released a three-point shot.
Swish!
The Pointers took a 56-55 lead with 6.1 seconds left to play in overtime.
The Warhawks inbounded the ball, rolling it to their high-scoring guard Imani Moore, who had hurt the Pointers during the game with spin moves while scoring 12 points. This time, Moore drove to the right side of the hoop, spun to the center and put up a possible game-winning shot.
The ball bounced off the rim and fell into the waiting hands of Miles as the final buzzer sounded and the crowd exploded.
After the teams shook hands there were many tears of joy shed on the Pointers bench but those dried rapidly as the team posed for photos with its newly won championship banner.
Sadie Heckman had 24 points including 8 of 10 free throws while Miles added 15 to pace the Pointers.
Second-year head coach Curtis Norwood was spotted jumping up and down and hugging his assistants as the final buzzer sounded and, like his players, it was a moment likely never to be forgotten.
“The feeling is indescribable,” Norwood said as his players left to meet parents and friends. “We went from agony to ecstasy. I kept telling the girls ‘You’ve got to believe!’ and they did.”
And Miles’ game-winning three-pointer? “She’s a very special young lady,” Norwood said in describing the sophomore.
Indeed, Norwood is quick to point out he starts two freshmen and a sophomore (Heckman, Jaqueline Riddle, and Miles). This year’s team finished 24-3 and should be even stronger next year.
Junior Iwalani Cruz and senior Sadie Heckman also start. The other seniors on the team are Nguyen and Isabella Ryan meaning nine team members will return.
The Pointers were seeded No. 12 in Div. IV for the state playoffs and they kept right on playing winning basketball.
 
POINTERS 45, NOTRE DAME 32
Traveling to Sherman Oaks to face the No. 5 Knights the Pointers built a large lead, at one point doubling their opponents’ score. 
 
POINTERS 53, GANESHA 46 (OT)
With the Giants of Pomona seeded No. 13, the Pointers earned a final home game and once again they didn’t disappoint. Playing before a loud crowd they started fast. 
Jumping out to a 30-18 halftime lead, the Pointers appeared to be cruising to victory before being outscored 18-5 in the fourth period to go to overtime again. A late basket by junior Sophia Caldwell saved her team from a regulation loss and elimination from the state tournament.
The overtime belonged to Miles who scored seven points to seal the win. Caldwell had the only other basket in the added time.
 
LANCASTER 51, POINTERS 44
The Pointers’ reward for their first two wins was a trip to Lancaster to meet the No. 1 ranked Eagles in a semifinal game.
Again, the Pointers started fast, leading 8-5 after one period and 19-18 at intermission. But after a furious third period that featured eight lead changes, the teams were tied at 31 entering the final frame.
The Pointers lost the lead early in the fourth quarter and never regained it as the Eagles outscored them 20-13 to end their season with a record of 24-3, a CIF championship banner and two wins in the state tournament.
 
DIV. IV STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Lancaster went on to play No. 2 Ontario Christian March 10 for the Southern California regional title. The winner was to play March 14 at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento against the Northern California regional champion, either No. 1 Colfax or No. 11 Sierra Pacific of Hanford for the state championship.